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everal years ago I em- most always white, and included barked on the study of bed covers, layettes, and ladies' boutis Provent;:al (bootee prohvonsahl), a handsewn form of decorative needlework that produces stomachers and wedding petticoats. Though greatly prized in its day, a refined, supple, and detailed quiltlike effect. Transparency and relief are the hallmarks of traditional white boutis (lit from behind in the detail photo above). PE'Jrassons, small lap pads like the one top right were used to protect clothing when holding a baby. A wooden pick smooths the yarns that fill the stitched outlines (top left). (15 48 THREADS inches by 15 inches), ern France in the 17th and 18th centuries, boutis is a whole-cloth technique in which two layers of fabric are stitched together in decorative patterns, into which loose batting and cording are then inserted. Sometimes called broderie de Marseille (after the city that specialized in boutis production) or technique en bosses (embroidery in relief), traditional pieces were al- An art perfected in south- boutis suffered with the introduction of machine sewing and industrialization, so very few of these treasures exist today. Happily, there's a revival of interest in boutis in France, and I've been able to study the technique. l'll show you how to stitch and stuff exquisite pieces yourself, and I'll share a few design ideas as well. Boutis is neither trapunto nor quilting Because of its sculptural surface, boutis closely resembles the look